Lime-hydrating apparattys



May 8, 1928. 1,668,924

J. C. SCHAFFER LIME HYDRATING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1925 5Sheets-Sheet l D fj-f u um nunhaoannn n wonen an u.. u..

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'ILNEY May 8, 1928. 1,668,924

J. c. SCHAFFER LIME HYDRAT ING APPARATUS Filed April 17. 1923 3Sheets-Skye@` 2 AT @wir May s, 192s. 1,668,924

' J. C. SCHAFFER LIME HYDRATING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1923 3Shee'cs--SheeL 5 3 9 1 E I .E

not O G o O o 26 o d l ll Joh Saga/KW lNVF- NTIII mit Ni Patented May192.8.

Uitli'll JOHN C. SCHAFFER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0SCHAFFER POIDOMETER COMPANY, OF ITISSUEGE, PENNSYLVANIA, A COREORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA.

LIME-HYDR'ATING- AFEPARATS.

Application led April 17, 1923.. Serial No. 632,746.

F ig. 3 is a plan view of the hydrator of Fig. 1, parts being brokenaway;

Fig. 1l is a section on the line lV-V, Fig. 3, showing the sealing shoeor valve ldevice for delivering precipitate from the stack back to thehydrator;

Figi 5 is a detail view, with partsbroken away of the valve device of Fig. e;

Fig. 6 is va fragmentary view of the hydrator of Fig. l, from the left,showing the supply and delivery devices; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the adjustable collar or flow control valvebetween the platform` separated chambers of the hydrator. v

Upright cylindrical shell or housing 1 has centrally therein a stepbearing 2 for vertical shaft 3 held axially of the housing 1 by upperlateral bearing 1l. Motor 5 is connected to drive worm G in mesh withworm wheel 7 for rotating the hydrator shaft 3. This housing 1 carriesone series of superposed platforms 8 having central openings 9 spacingthese platforms 8 from the shaft Alternating with these platforms 8 is asecond series of l'ilatfornisl() carried by the shaft 3 and havingclearance 11 as to the housing 1. rll'he platforms 8 are stationary withthehousing, and have the loose material supplied thereto agitated andprogressed inwardly to flow over flanges 12, 13, at the central openings'9. The shaft 3 carries radial arms 14E upon which are mounted plows 15adjusted to effect the desired agitation and travel of the material onthe platforms 8 during rotation of the shaft 3. rilhese arms 14 serve tosupport the movable kseries of platforms 10.

The stationary platforms 3 have Iabout the central openings 9 dependingcollars 16 carrying radiating arms 17 for carrying plovs adjusted towork the loose material on the movable platforms 1() thercbelow outwardto flow over dams or flow retarding flanges 18 to then fall through theopenings 11 to the stationary platform below and then undergo furtheragitation with reverse radial progress, and be urged over flange 13, or12, to fall into the opening upon cone 19 carried by the shaft 3, and tobe scraped olf said cone 19 by scraper 20 carried by the collar 16.

Each shaft-carried platform 10, with the housing carried platform 8there below as herein disclosed may be a chamber, which chambers aresuperposed. Inasmuch as the hydrator is contructed for continuoustreatment, as distinguished from batch operation, iow valves areprovided between the chambers, elfective for trapping a materialblanleting gas in a chamber, or group thereof, and even building up thepressure of such blanketing. The character of the loose material is afactor in Ibuilding up the pressure, as well as the rate of feed, thethickness thereof maintained on the platforms and the rate ofprogressing such material, not only as to the rotative speed of theshaft3, but also as to the adjustment of the plows 15 as to angle, aswell as whether any of the plows are adjusted to reverse iow. The flowvalve between the chambers may be adjusted by set screws 21 for holdingauxiliary collars 22 for clearance of the material if there is to be nopressure difference between the chambers spaced by such valve, and forextending' into the material an ci; tent which. may preclude blowing ofthe material thereunder when the higher pressure chamber is above, andwhich will not cut oit' all flow when the higher pressure is in thechamber below.

The loose material, as fully or partially burned dolomite or limestone,may be supplied to the hydrator from above. Motor 23 actuates endlessbelt conveyor 24 for delivering at a uniform weight rate a supply ofmaterial from the hopper 25, to pass by way of screw conveyer 26 as agas trapping supply passage into the upper chamber of the hydratorhousing 1.

For eticient Operai-ion, the water supply fi t) Ll ii for the hydrationmay be preheated. Eccentrically of the hydrator housing l, and mountedthereon is a pair of stacks 27 as flues for taking olf the moisture anddust laden from the hydrator. Carried by each of the stacks 27 as awater jacket is a tank 28. These tanks 28 are cross connected by pipe29, so that water supply thereto from the line 30 as automaticallycontrolled by float valve 31 .may serve .to maintain an establishedlevel in said tanks. Partial partit-ion 32 in one of the tanks .28serves to keep the float for the valve 3l from disturbance by theincoming water. The hot gases and fumes rising in the stacks 27 tend towarm the supply water. These tanks 28 accordingly are preheaters for thehydrator, inasmuch as the water is taken therefrom for acting upon thealkaline earth oxid farrying material for effecting the exothermiereactions therewith.

I'from the line 29 is drop line to measuringv device or pump connectedwith the loose material. supply control device. The conveyor 24 isdriven from the motor 23 and additionally there is crank disk drivingconnection (Fig. 6) for actuating the pump 34. This insures proportionalwater volume for the added moisture requirements of the operations. Inorder that there may be no siphouin and to avoid forcing which .might bedetrimental to operatioi'is, the water from. the. pump passes by riserto siphon breaking opening or vent- 36. From below this opening 3G, line37 e, 'fonds from the lino 35 to discharge .into funnel 38 connected toreep the bearing 4 running in liquid, as well as nush from it any grit,this moisture seepf' into the top chamber of the hydrator to stin thehydration. The main volume the hydration moisture, however, passes byway of line 3." from the funnel 38 to coil 4() about the upper outerportion of the topmost chamber in the hydrator housing l. This coil 40may serve further to bring up the temperature of the water before itpasses by coil 4l having downward perforations as a spray about theopening from the con veyor 2G to coiumingle with the supply of loosematerial being discharged upon the topmost platform l0. p

As the .material is fed outward and inward to be agitated over theseplatforms and progress downward, the slaking or hydration operationstake place with resulta ut dis- .iutegrzition of the nglaterial suppliedinto a more or less fluffy product. y

The speed of operation, and the character of the product is improved byholding the heat of reaction in a way to avoid burning. The steamgenerated by the reaction tends to work the air out of the hydrator. Theflow valves and material volume may be adjusted, for trapping oft' saythe upper pair of platforms as the top ychamber to have a steam blanketbuilt up therein for the material being treated. The steam as soretained seems to be effective for more ready penetration into thematerial for quick and uniform disintegration. In addition to this steamor water vapor from the exothermic reaction with the material beingtreated, there is supplied herein live steam. Tothis end steam line 42isprovided with regulating valve 43 and cut off valve 44. lVith the valve44 open, the steam supply line 42 may continuously deliver at a uniformrate by Way of jet 423 steam into the trapped upper chamber of thehydrator housing l. This live steam may be delivered in eXcess of therequirement of the material to build up pressure in the chamber beyondthat of the materialgeneratod steam, but this pressure is `preferablyliept down so as not to effect bl m'i1ig of the material past the blowvalve, for such blasting across the movable platform of `the chambertherebelow would tend to disturb the uniform progress and agitationoperation of the hydrator.

The lowermost stationary platform 8 is provided with a central collar 46through which may come a natural draft as supplied into the housing l byway of opening 47. The material as hydrated and coming to the lowermostplatform 8, may pass therefrom by opening 48 to be delivered to screwcouveyor 49 as driven by gearing 50 from the motor 5. This conveyor 49discharges the treated material from the hydrator through opening 51.

The two upper chambers are shown as operable for building up and holdingpressure. In the vert-ical series of five chambers as herein disclosed,the next two'intermediate chambers are shown as having openings 52 intobreeching 533 outside the housing l and out of line with the stacks 27.rlhe lowermost chamber may be trapped to build up pressure, for overopenings therefrom into the breechings 53, are chutes or baiiies 54 asinclined upper walls to breechiing passages which may have the topsthereof closed by valves or dampers 'The breech ing 5?) is incommunieation with the stack 27 by opening 5G from which extends chute5T for directing flue gas precipitation back into the ln'eechiug otoward bullies :3S fromy whence it may tumble to chute 54, and ifadhering thereto, may be loosened by ,kuoeker 59 actuated against theunderside thereof.

Condensation of the excessive moisture taken out with the dust ladengases is assisted, by allowing cooler outside air to enter by way ofadjustable vent devices GO in the breeching 53 to create eddies at thebattles 5,8.

lVays 61 are provided at the openings 52 for doors (52, which may beused for ,creating additional pressure chambers.

lll)

The material as precipi :at-ed in the breeching. may be more or lessmoist, if not sloppy, and as falling upon the chute 54 is directed intothe hydrator for agitation before passing down io the lowerinostplatform S for discharge from thU hydrator. rlhis treatment, of getttingbach into the hot mass. tends to average the moisture and work oil anyexcess rlhe condensation of moisture in the stach to entrain dust isaccelerated by the preheater tanks 28. While the expansion of the gasesfrom the openings into tl e breeching 53 has a cooling action and thehat es assist in providing eddregions for further ctoiing as well asprecipitation of dust, still dust and moisture get to the stach. Chute63 from the opening 5G serves to direct precipitation as occurring inthe stack, away from Athe precipitation as occurring in the breeching.

The stack precipitation as thus passes through openings Gel (Figs. 3, 4)in top 65 of the housing l. One of the openings Gelis framed by fla-nge66 (Fig. 4l) of plow carrying radial arm (37 fixed with the housing l,G5. vMounted on this liange 6G is tube or pocket G8 (F extendingl downto `iust clear the surface of the top platform lO. This pocket G8 has,diver-ging tapered side (S9. These tapered walls 69 form a if-shapedopening .in the bottom of the pocket 68 extending transversely of aradius from the shaft 3. This stationary if-shaped opening 70 has itswider end to- 'ard the direction from which the platform i() is moved.The walls 69 accordingly7 spread the loose and freshly moistenedmaterial as supplied to the top-most platform l0, leaving a spill of thematerial following from this pocket (5S. The widened after end of thispocket "o8 as eX- tending upwardly from the table is provided with apair of parallel guide ways 7l (Fig. in which may be vertically adjusteda gale or closure 72 to be held in any desired clearance as io theplatform 'i0 by a set screw 73. Accordingly as the in'eeipirgite .in thesl'acl: may be directly delivered to the hydrator, the gate 72 may beadjusted to maintain sealing, while. the travel of the plat-form l() maycause the pocket GS as to :its sides 69 to act as a plow to clear a Wayor path into which the precipitate may be delivered as deposited in thepocket and trimmed by the gate 72. This is a flow trapping valve orsealino` shoe device permitting maintenance of pressure in the tophydrator chamber, while delivering the lines from the flue gases forthorough commingling with the material for treatment.

rlhese are features contributing` to uniformit?.T of product, and incontinuous operation at speed and volume of production or outputdirected have marked advantages as to installation expense.

Tilhat is claimed and it is desired to sccure by Letters Fatent iszl..In a hydration apparatus, a superposed series of chambeis, agitators insaid chambers. material. flow ialves trapping coinmunication betvneenthev chambers, and a live steam supply to a valve trapped chamber.

2. in a hydration apparatus embodyinga vertical cylindrical housing,superposed chambers in said housing, agitator-s effective to progressmaterial through said chambers ce, material fle-v.' valves trappingcommunication between the chambers, a water supply and a live steamsupply to a trapped chamber.

3. A' liydrator compris-ing a housing, a central vertical shaft therein,a series of platforms carried by the housing, alternatiu with saidhousing' carried platforms a series of shaft carried platforms, platformcarried pions for agitating and progressing material on the plattformbelow the platform carryingthe plows, and depending collars from thehousing earned platforms to extend into materA l.k on adjacent shaftcarried platforms therebelow. 1

4i. vertical cyliniflrical liydr-tor housing7 a seri s of super-posedplatforms carried by the housing, a shaft central oi the housing,platforms alternating with the housing platforms and carried by saidshaft, a platform of one of said series being provioed with a dependingcollar toward a. platform of the other series therebclow to extend intomaterial on said lower platform, and means for adjusting said collarclearance as to the lower platform to regulate building up of pressureblanket for the material on one of said platforms during the progress ofmaterialv past said collar as a flow valve.

5. A hydrator embodying superposed platforms, means isolating thei,.ilatforms in pairs to form chan'ibers, a stack, and means between alower chamber and the slack for regulating pressure in said lowerchamber.

o'. A hydraior emljiod'ving two vertical series of l'ihittornis, oneseries alternating with the other, means isolating tv-:o platforms asone of each series to form a chamber, a stack, breeching between a lowerchamber and the stack, and a valve in the breeching adjustable to buildup pressure in said lower chainber.

7'. A superposed platform multi-chamber liydrator, a stack therefor, abreeching between the stacl; and a hydrator chamber for receivingmoisture and dust laden gases from the chamber, stach chilling means forcondensing the moisture for entraining and precipitating the dust and areceiver for the precipitated dust connected for discharge bach to thehvdraton lUJ lll)

CFI

A liydi'ator embodying,` two series of superposed platforms, theplatforms of one series alternating with those o'l the other series, a.stack 'lor the liydratoi' for receiving moisture and dust laden gasesfrom the hydraitor, chilling; means for condensing the moisture ,torentraining and precipitating the dust, and a dellector for directing theprecipitated dust back into the hydrator.

'9. A hydrator embodying tivo series ot' plati'orms alternating to 'formpairs as superposed chambers, a stack for receiving moisture and dustladen gases lfroiii the liydi'ator, stack chilling,- means 'forcoiidei'isiiig;l the moisture tor'entrainiiig and precipitating thedust, and a valve for delivering the precipitated dust into a l'iydratorcliaiiibei.

l0. bydiator' provided with a stack.r a lieed water tank about saidstack, a material supply cont-rol for the hydratoi, and av u'atei'nieasurine` feeder ilor the liydratoi' operated by said supply controlfor taking water :lii'oiii said tank and delivering directly to thehydrator proportionately to said material supply delievery.

ll. A hydrator, a stack out of direct gas supply communication with theliydrator and provided with direct dust delivery coinmunicatioii withthe hyd rator, and a breeching between the hydrator and stack ttor gasesfrom the hydrator.

12. A liydrator, a stack tliereover, a

liydi'ator to said stack, and a. discharge from the breechingto thehydrator.

13. A cylindrical liydrator, a stack eccentrie of the liydrator andthereover, a breeching providing communication from the liydifator tosaid stack, an eddy providing baille in the bi'eeching, said breechingYhaving,y a dust precipitation section for receiving balileeddyaccumulated dust from the hydi'ator, and a controllable discharge Waylfroin said precipitation section to the liydurator. 4

l-l. A vertical cylindrical liydrator, a breeching laterally thereof, astack with which the breecliiiig is in communication, an eddy providingbattle in the breeching for receiving` dust from dust laden gases fromthe hyiilrator, and a lnoclier it'or arring dust accumulation from thebattle to floiv back into the h'ydi'ator.

15. A hydi'ator, a breeching tlierei'i'om, a stack laterally offset fromsaid breechiiig to which said breecliing delivers, lirstprecipitation-collection-disposal means between the breeching andliydrator, and independent second precipitation-collection-disposalmeans between the stack and hydratoi.

In Witness whereof I afiix my signature. i

JOHN C. SCHiiFFlilii.

